Sanctuary For All
by xfirefly9x
Summary: Ficlets based on the characters of Sanctuary.
1. Telling Dreams from Reality

_**Telling Dreams from Reality**_

"Sometimes it's hard to tell dreams from reality. When you are in the dream state, what is truth slips between your fingers like flour through a sieve. While you think things are real, there will be inconsistencies leading you to doubt the events occurring and their authenticity. It seems real, but is it? There is no way to know." Helen hesitates, and presses a finger to her lips, thinking.

Across from her, Will nods. "Until you wake up."

"Exactly," she agrees. "See, now you're getting it."

"So this device. That's how it works?" Glancing at her, he then starts walking slowly around the table that holds the new contraption Henry had brought in.

"Not quite. See, the device makes it so you cannot determine the difference between reality and a dreamland. You could very well be lost to us if you let yourself fall too far under the influence. If you believe any of it is real, you may not want to let go and return to us."

"Right. Sounds dangerous."

"Oh, it is. This is not an adventure for the weak. Are you prepared to risk yourself and everything you know?"

Will studies her a moment, contemplating her question. There is so much lying beneath the surface of it. Is he happy with his life? Is he happy working at the Sanctuary? Or does he think about a different life, with different people and different locations? Does he dream of normality? Does he want out of this life and into another completely different one?

He shakes his head a little, and drags his hands through his hair. He can feel it stick up on end but does nothing to flatten it. And then he nods. "Yes. I… mean, I don't know. But… this has to be done. And I'm willing to give it a go."

Helen looks at him with something resembling approval. "Excellent."

"O-kay." Will puts a finger to the screen of the device, wondering if he made the right choice. "Switch the screen on, stick on the headphones, lie back and go."

"Yes. It's very much like a virtual reality. But Will. As I said, when you get inside, there will be no indicators to tell you what is real. To you, the world you will go to is very real. As real as this world, in fact. And you may not want to leave."

He nods. "And if the machine shuts off before I get back, I'm done for, yes?"

"Correct." Helen smiles grimly. "And I won't be able to save you."

"Let's do this," he says, and sits down.

_Will_

_Seven hours later: _

The cobblestone streets are drenched and those who are still out run frantically for their destination or for a nearby café to wait out the rest of the rain. Some have umbrellas, but even they seem to be in a rush to get where they're going.

Will joins the few running into an old building that has seen better days. There, he finds Katherine, all red hair and green eyes and curved lips. She looks amazing, even with her hair damp and trailing down her cheeks. Her white dress is nearly soaked through. "Hi," he says.

"Hey, you." She leans over and kisses him. "How was work?"

"The Sanctuary is great. And I got a promotion. Magnus is off on a trip in a week and I'll be in charge til she returns."

"That's great, honey."

"Isn't it?" he agrees. He sets his bag down and takes the seat next to her. Something in him sparks and for a moment he frowns.

"What is it, Will?"

"Uh, nothing. I think. Just a bad case of déjà vu."

_Meanwhile,_

"Will! Will!" Helen shakes his arms, trying to wake him up. "Come back to me, Will."

_Will (cont.)_

"So, there's something I've been meaning to ask you. And I think now is the perfect time." Will smiles and when she looks at him expectantly, he gets off his chair and kneels on the ground beside her.

Her face flushes and her smile widens. "Will?"

"Will you marry me?" He asks. He holds out a box he'd slipped from his pocket and reveals a stunning ring, embedded with a gigantic emerald. "To match your eyes," he murmurs.

She keeps looking at him, but now her expression is ecstatic. He has never seen her so happy. "Yes," she says. "Yes, I'll marry you."

_Helen_

"He's gone," Henry says, checking the equipment. "Whatever went on in there, it must've been good."

"No. No, no, no! He can't be!" Helen grips Will's arm tight enough that her knuckles turn white. He makes no sign that he can feel it.

Henry, pale, stands back. "Will's gone. He's in a coma. There's nothing we can do."

Simply holding his hand is no longer enough. Helen embraces Will. "Come back to me," she mumbles, before she allows herself to break. "Will."

Will lives a happy life until his wife dies. Somewhere along the line, he becomes a bitter man, with no purpose to his life anymore and no one to stick around for. A gun finds its way into his possession. They don't find his body for a week.

BEEEEEEEEP.

Helen rushes into the room set up for Will the moment she hears his monitor flat line. There is blood everywhere, just as if someone put a bullet through his throat. As hopeless as it looks, she feels for a pulse. Nothing.

Henry and Kate come running up behind her. Without looking around, she tells them, "Pack up the virtual reality device. Destroy it."

_fin._


	2. Touch me and Die

_**Touch me and Die**  
_

The price of the choices she had made was much higher than she could afford. Kate knew this, but she also knew she couldn't back out now. She was in too deep to try and run. And so, with a smile on her face she headed into the old, shambled building before her.

The three men immediately inside the complex had nothing to say to her, but glanced up from the papers they were all peering at and nodded. Shipping guys. They knew her from her previous visits. She wondered if they'd miss her if she died at the hands of their employer. Maybe. But probably not.

Speaking of her employer, she couldn't see him. That wasn't surprising. He was most likely out back in a makeshift office, like usual. The warehouses and abandoned buildings changed, but his M.O. did not.

The old guy had greying hair but was as nimble as someone half his age. He had the temper of eight men and the attention span of a five year old. She hadn't ever wanted to get on his bad side. But then, that was before she joined the Sanctuary. It was before she started to wonder if she was on the right side and before she decided that she wanted to do something about it.

Now, she's got amends to make and all that stuff. Starting with a sale she was hired to set up. She was to find a rare abnormal and bring it back for them to sell. Only, she wasn't going to be bringing in any abnormal now. Her decision had been made when Helen Magnus accepted her into the Sanctuary. It was her home now and she didn't want to ruin that.

As the first place she really felt safe and at home, she hated to think about losing it. She wasn't prepared to destroy the first good thing that had come her way in awhile.

She smiled wider. Up ahead she could hear whistling. Oh, yeah. That was her guy. She didn't pause to reflect on whether actually showing up was a good idea, and headed straight for the door. She didn't knock. Why knock when she was already going to be in huge amounts of trouble? It was one little thing she could find some amusement in for herself, an act of rebellion and a statement about her intentions.

She _wanted_ to piss him off. Employer guy, whatever his name was – she never did ask and he never did tell – was likely going to put a bullet through her, so she wanted to have some fun first.

"You're back early," he tells her when she loudly enters and lets the door click behind her.

She has interrupted him mid-meeting. Two bored, but curious gentlemen sit on chairs facing boss man's desk. One has lips that are thinner than any she's seen before and the other is balding with eyes of ice.

"Got word on the job early."

"You got the goods?" He makes a point to ignore his colleagues and the meeting they were having is left forgotten.

"Nope," she replies cheerily.

"Why not?"

"See, the thing is I'm over working for greasy-haired, low, slime ball bastards like yourself. I'm taking my business elsewhere."

He says nothing. The men with him remain silent and unblinking, as if the interruption meant nothing and was something they went through every time that they participated in an illegal meet and greet.

"I'm leaving this room now. And you're not gonna follow me or send anyone after me."

"Who are you to decide that? Your assumptions are meaningless and make you look like a fool."

"They're not assumptions. Wanna know why?"

Boss man studies her carefully. Curious, but unwilling to say so in case it endangers his image.

"'kay, I'll tell you why. You're going to leave me alone because I'm with Helen Magnus now. Yeah. You know the name? You touch me and she's all over you."

"She took _you_ in?"

"Is it a risk you're willing to take?" She smiles when the bald man shows the slightest glimmer of a smirk. Boss man keeps watching her, but slowly shakes his head.

"Great," she says. "Then we're done here."

With that, she flowed toward the door, floating almost, taking her time. She wanted to drive in the point of the matter as much as possible and there was no better way to do it. The men scowled behind her.

At the last moment she turned to look at them. "Nice meeting you, boys. Let's see each other again sometime, yeah?"

It was just the jab to end off the visit with. She could almost hear the way their heart beats raced faster and harder and more angrily. She did hear the quick growl from boss man. "Well, I'm off," she said before any of them could change their minds and attack her, and with those words, she was gone.

_fin._


End file.
